The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-07-14
CURING CLOVER HAY.

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looked. Tt may not now be too late,
as the hay harvest will be delayed
fully too weeks by the lateness of the
spring. Glover should be NOW when
it is in full bloom. 1t is easily cured
in open weather, but is quickly dam
aged by rain if caught in the field in
swath, windrow, or loose cocks. After
a few hours sun in the swath it may
be drawn into windows for the con-
venience Of loading and carried to the
hay-shed and put under cover. An
open flooring Of fence rails OF poles,
raised about twenty inches from the
ground, is necessary before any, hay
is brought in. Each load as hauled
should be evenly and thinly spread
over the whole floor Of the shed, if SO
much is required for the crop but if
not, appropriate as much space as can
be filed to the top. The housing
may be more rapid, and with less
curing in the field, if on each bed of
hay eighteen inches thick a layer of
sound and dry wheat OF oat straw,
about six or eight inches thick, is
placed, thus making the hay and
straw alternate. The straw will pre-
vent the hay from moulding, absorb
ing at the same time it's aroma, in
creasing bulk without decreasing the
feeding value Of the hay. This plan
should be adopted when it is designed
to feed the whole crop on the farm.
Hay, to be baled for market, must be
free from straw, or the market value
will be impaired by the prejudice of
buyers. For home feeding, the hay
and straw should be forked down SO
as to get the two well mixed. Before
the period of railroads, which furnish
facilities for marketing hay in distant
towns, it was the common practice in
the Valley, and all the clover districts
of the State, to use straw in packing
away clover hay.
If possible, not more than a week
should be consumed in cutting a hay
crop. To make good hay, clover or
any other grass ought to be moved at
the right time, and the work rapidly
done, for the season that it takes but
a few days for the grass to pass the
proper stage of maturity. On large
fields the mower is now universally
used, and one is sufficient, under ordi-
nary contingencies of weather, for
thirty acres but provision should be
made for additional machines on larger
fields. It will even pay a farmer to
use a mower when only five acres are
to be cut ver A good mower can
be purchased for $50, and will
secure the crop in less than a day,
whilst an able-bodied and skillful
operator with the grass-blade will take
five days to do the same work in
heavy grass-the cost per day, in
wages and food, being not less than
$3.50, or a total of $3.50, or about Is
per cent. on the cost Of a machine
which will last twenty years or more,
If properly cared for.
1t will be admitted that rapid work
is necessary for saving in good con-
dition a crop of hay, especially clover.
With large fields this cannot be usually
done without several machines and an
ample supply of laborers. To provide
against unfavorable weather, and to
avoid the expense Of extra machines
and labor, we have pursued a plan for
clover which never failed of success.
1t was to cure on stakes, the grass to
be forked on the stakes as fast as it is
cut, SO that the moving, if stopped at
any period of the day by a shower of
rain, the hay is all up and safe against
injury. We have before detailed the
plan in the columns of the Planter, but
we regard it of so much value that it
will bear repetition. It is this: De-
tail five strong men to do the cooking,
and never let the mower get more
than a half hour ahead. Stakes for
at least one days work must be pro-
vided before the moving commences.
The supply Of stakes may be kept up
for other days by employing the same
men from sunrise until the mower
starts, about 9 o'clock, after the dew
is off. The stakes are cut seven feet
long, sharpened at each end, and knots
trimmed off, Young and straight
pines about the size Of the wrist at the
small end are best, and generally most
convenient, but any other small growth
may be used. They are brought to
the field and conveniently deposited
In armfuls. AS soon as the mower
has made three-or four rounds, a
horse-rake follows, and the swath is